Hot Docs Archives (32 posts)
Radioman
Radioman (2012). Directed by Mary Kerr.
How does a former New York City homeless man become a movie industry legend? Radioman has appeared in over 100 films and television shows since the early 90s. With his trademark radio around his neck, he’s become a celebrity to movie stars like George Clooney, Matt Damon and Meryl Streep. Radioman is a charming film about an eccentric dreamer that finally gets his closeup.
George Clooney, Robin Williams, and Josh Brolin sit down for interviews and provide their take on Radioman. For the most part he’s described as a lovable guy that is obsessed with the movies. He’s considered to be good luck for a production and according to Radioman, every time he appears in a film it makes money – Tower Heist, The Departed, and Elf.
The celebrity aspect of Radioman is sure to make this a popular film at Hot Docs. Everyone from Paul Giamatti, Sandra Bullock, Whoopi Goldberg, Jude Law and Tom Hanks appear briefly to share their Radioman experiences. Most of these clips are quite funny including a bizarre moment with James Gandolfini and a conversation with Ricky Gervais that left me in stitches.
Radioman is credited as Craig Castaldo on IMDB but he also goes by the name Craig Schwartz. It wasn’t clear to me in the film why he uses two names but it doesn’t really matter. Radioman is a fascinating character – a former homeless man and alcoholic that lives in a roach-infested apartment and dresses like a tramp. He rides a bicycle around New York, trolling movie sets for food and hustling for parts in films. He dreams of becoming an actor with real speaking roles instead of the small bit parts he’s landed in the past.
I found myself wanting to know more about Radioman as the film progressed. At first glance he comes across like a child, picking his nose and farting on camera but in an instant he can be quite serious and sound very intelligent. In one clip Johnny Depp questions whether Radioman is really an eccentric billionaire having a laugh at our expense.
We never see Radioman on a computer but he’s shown talking on a beat up cellphone to somebody about filming locations. Shia LaBeouf questions how Radioman can know his shooting schedule before he does. Where does Radioman get his information from? For a guy who often gets mistaken as a panhandler he seems well connected.
The film takes on a different tone when Radioman travels to Los Angeles hoping to crash the Oscars and hang out with his Hollywood friends. He may be the king of New York when it comes to getting access to the stars but in Los Angeles he’s a nobody. Unless he’s on the guest list, Radioman is just another autograph hound, hanging around the sidewalk with the likes of Sean Young.
It was interesting to see the stark contrast between the two cities from Radioman’s perspective. Everything and everyone in LA comes across as cold and superficial compared to the people of New York that Radioman describes as being friendlier, warmer, kinder.
Sadly, Radioman sees celebrities as his friends. He’s lonely and the closest thing he has to family is the movie set. When he used to drink Radioman said he felt invincible. He thought people were laughing with him and having a good time but he came to realize that people were really laughing at him. I wonder how many of his celebrity friends are really laughing at him, merely amused by his eccentric behaviour.
You might not know who Radioman is but chances are that you’ve already seen him in a dozen films. He’s always wanted a bigger film role and I can’t think of a better opportunity than the one Mary Kerr’s documentary provides him with. I used to look forward to Stan Lee cameos in Marvel films. Now I’ll be looking for Radioman cameos in every film that is shot in New York.
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Radioman Facebook Page
Hot Docs Website
Posted in Hot Docs at 12:43 PM
Hot Docs 2012 Preview
Another season of Hot Docs begins this Thursday and Toronto will be buzzing this weekend with premieres of some great films. Here is a roundup of some of the films I previewed for this year’s festival.
We Are Legion: The Story of The Hacktivists
Everyone has heard of Anonymous but what is it? A group of “hackers on steroids” as Fox News has described it or a group of “hactivists” that have it in for Tom Cruise and the Church of Scientology. We Are Legion delves into the world of Anonymous and does a nice job explaining the origins of the group. I found this doc fascinating and for someone that spends most of his day online, I was surprised by how little I know about Anonymous.
Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet
Life is full of incredible stories and the films that document them can be difficult to watch at times. I had a vague idea of who Jason Becker was but the tragedy that befell him is a revelation and it times it gets really weird. If you like music docs then don’t miss this film but be prepared to feel drained after watching it. I couldn’t shake the incredible sadness that weighs on this film.
The Waiting Room
We’ve all spent time in a hospital emergency room and know the drama that goes on there. Imagine having the cameras rolling 24/7 in a hospital ER in Oakland. It sounds like the perfect idea for a doc but it just doesn’t work. Sure, there is drama and tragedy but I felt like I was in an endless loop of hopelessness. There are plenty of interesting stories and moments but I never felt fully-engaged with this film.
Life In Stills
I was expecting more of an artistic doc about late photographer Rudi Weissenstein. I was surprised when the film focused more on Weissenstein’s 96-year-old widow and her relationship with her grandson. You’ll find this doc to be entertaining look into the lives of this family in Tel Aviv.
Posted in Hot Docs at 12:18 AM
Inocente (Mini Review)
Inocente (2012). Directed by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix.
Inocente is a heartwarming portrait of a 15-year-old girl from San Diego that is determined to succeed as an artist despite several obstacles in her way. Inocente has been homeless for the last nine years and kept this a secret from her classmates. Despite an abusive father and an alcoholic mother, she’s managed to stay in school and develop her artistic skills.
Based on what she’s been through you would expect her art to be much darker but it is full of energy, bright colour and hope. The film is emotional and at times I found myself fighting back tears more than once. Inocente is inspiring, beautifully shot and sure to impress you on some level.
½
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Official Film Website
Facebook Page
Hot Docs Website
Posted in Hot Docs at 9:25 PM
Radioman (Mini Review)
Radioman (2012). Directed by Mary Kerr.
How does a former New York City homeless man become a movie industry legend? Radioman has appeared in over 100 films and television shows since the early 90s. With his trademark radio around his neck, he’s become a celebrity to movie stars like George Clooney, Matt Damon and Meryl Streep. Radioman is a charming film about an eccentric dreamer that finally gets his closeup.
George Clooney, Robin Williams, and Josh Brolin sit down for interviews and provide their take on Radioman. For the most part he’s described as a lovable guy that is obsessed with the movies. He’s considered to be good luck for a production and according to Radioman, every time he appears in a film it makes money – Tower Heist, The Departed, and Elf.
You might not know who Radioman is but chances are that you’ve already seen him in a dozen films. He’s always wanted a bigger film role and I can’t think of a better opportunity than the one Mary Kerr’s documentary provides him with. I used to look forward to Stan Lee cameos in Marvel films. Now I’ll be looking for Radioman cameos in every film that is shot in New York.
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Radioman Facebook Page
Hot Docs Website
Posted in Hot Docs at 1:24 AM
Hot Docs 2012
Hot Docs invades Toronto in 16 days with the best documentary film festival on the planet. There are so many fantastic films to see and so little time.
Here are 25 films that I would love to see with links to my top picks.
About Face: The Supermodels Then And Now
Beware Of Mr. Baker
Booker’s Place: A Mississippi Story
Chasing Ice
Detropia
Dreams Of A Life
Garden In The Sea
Indie Game: The Movie
Inocente
Italy Love It Or Hate It
James Bradley: Soul Of America
Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet
Jeff
Krisis–GR2011–The Prism
Life In Stills
Marley
McCullin
Not A Carwash
Peace Out
Radioman
Shut Up And Play Hits
The Tundra Book
The Waiting Room
Theo Fleury: Playing With Fire
We Are Legion: The Story of The Hacktivists
Hot Docs runs from April 26 - May 6, 2012. Visit hotdocs.ca for more information and screening times.
Posted in Hot Docs at 9:09 PM
In Heaven Underground: The Weissensee Jewish Cemetery
In Heaven Underground: The Weissensee Jewish Cemetery (2011).
Directed by Britta Wauer.
In 2007, one of the best films I saw at Hot Docs was Forever, directed by Heddy Honigmann. It’s about the Père-Lachaise cemetery in Paris where so many famous artists and musicians are buried. This famous graveyard is presented as a place that has become a source of inspiration for living artists.
Fast forward to Hot Docs 2011 and one of my favourite films at the festival was about another famous cemetery – the Weissensee Jewish Cemetery in Berlin. It was created in 1880, covers more than 100 acres, contains 115,000 graves and is still being used for burials today.
It’s a miracle that the cemetery and its records weren’t destroyed during the Nazi era. Oddly enough, it was the Cold War that seemed to have the biggest impact on the cemetery. The Berlin Wall made it almost impossible for the Jewish community to access the cemetery for years. It eventually became overgrown and fell into a state of disrepair.
Today, Weissensee is being restored and is full of life. Britta Wauer’s film captures the beauty, history and importance of this enchanting place. People from around the world search the maze of roads and paths in search of family history and relatives. Others share stories about Weisensee and how it has played a part in their lives. High school students wander the grounds while working on an art project while bird experts tag baby hawks in the primeval forest throughout Weissensee.
The production value of Wauer’s film is of the highest quality – a nice change from some of the docs that suffer from poor visuals and sound. The cinematography from Kaspar Köpke captures the beauty and peacefulness of the grounds. Several time-lapse scenes capture the different seasons, just as you’d see in an episode of BBC’s Planet Earth. Still photographs come to life borrowing the same 3D effect that was introduced in The Kid Stays In The Picture. And of course, the soundtrack is exceptional.
If you missed the film at Hot Docs then you’re in luck. Seventh Art Releasing has acquired the North American rights to In Heaven Underground, and plans a theatrical release followed by a DVD release.
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Posted in Hot Docs at 11:29 PM
The National Parks Project
The National Parks Project (2011). Directed by Louise Archambault, Keith Behrman and 11 others.
What a disappointment. Like most of the audience, I thought The National Parks Project was going to showcase 13 of Canada’s national parks with a homegrown soundtrack. Instead of a typical documentary, I felt like I was watching an experimental film from the 60s.
During the premiere at TIFF Lightbox, a handful of people walked out early. I was tempted to join them a couple of times but I stuck it out till the bitter end. It didn’t help that the old guy beside me was coughing, sneezing, sleeping and passing gas. Another senior down the the aisle was snoring, much to the amusement of the people in front of me. I can only imagine that they were desperately looking for something to entertain them.
The film is comprised of 13 short films by different directors. Each filmmaker spent five days with three musicians exploring a national park in each of the provinces and territories. The idea was for these artists to collaborate and capture their experience of the landscape. It sounds like a great idea on paper but it doesn’t work very well as a film.
How can you not create a stunning film to celebrate Park’s Canada’s centennial year? I think the problem is that each of the short films is a little too avant-garde. Scrap the heavy metal bass that drones on throughout Gros Morne or the grainy surveillance camera footage in Night Vision. And don’t get me started on the goldilocks-like character that passes out after eating some wafer cookies in Mystic Mornings.
I don’t want to sound like the crusty old man that blasted the filmmakers during the Q&A so I’ll try to say something positive. There are moments in the film when the experimental visuals are set aside for some landscape images that give you a true sense of the park environment. The footage of Mingan Archipelago National Park along the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence is stunning.
Some of the feedback on Twitter, immediately after the Hot Docs premiere conveys the sense of disappointment others experienced:
Twtr isn’t being kind to National Parks Project. Apparently half the audience left, the other half was asleep
#hotdocs national parks project epic doc fail. Felt like watching someone failing to know how to pick that low-hanging fruits
National Parks project is not a nature lover’s doc, unfortunately. Two hours, not a single money shot. Kept waiting for it. Too bad #hotdocs
National Parks Project is terrible. 20-30 walk outs. Self-absorbed outsider’s view of the parks. Shame.
British photographer David Noton recently said “for a landscape photographer Canada is heaven, but it’s such a vast country it’s difficult to know where to start.” It’s a shame that The National Parks Project didn’t have much in the way of voiceover narration, simple maps or stunning visuals to show how magnificent our national parks really are.
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
The National Parks Project Website
Hot Docs
Posted in Hot Docs at 8:31 PM
Hot Docs and Cold Docs
I’m five films into Hot Docs 2011 and so far it is a draw. The truly hot docs, for me at least are POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold and In Heaven, Underground. The Jewish Cemetery In Berlin-Weissensee a must see film that I highly recommend.
Considering the UFC event in Toronto tonight, Fightville seemed like a good pick. It’s not a bad film but it’s definitely not hot and feels unfinished. Some day the people at Isabel Bader will learn how to use the Christie projector and show HD films in all their glory without interrupting a film and mucking with the settings.
Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest is a solid film and a must see if you love hip hop. If you didn’t see it tonight then you’ll have to wait until July when it gets a theatrical release. I have to say that the best place to screen a music documentary or any film for that matter is at TIFF Lightbox. The sound and projection here is incredible. I wish I could watch all of my films in this building.
And the cold doc of the festival goes to The National Parks Project. What a disappointment this film was. I can’t imagine that the Parks Canada is proud of this film. It’s a self-indulgent turd. I’m all for artistic freedom and creative expression but this film does nothing to make me say, “Wow! Canada has some amazing national parks that I want to visit this summer and explore!” Instead I found myself saying “what the hell was that?”
It didn’t help that the old man beside me had gas, kept sneezing and coughing and fell asleep every ten minutes. I can’t say I blame him. How hard is it to make a good documentary film about Canada’s amazing national parks? The National Parks Project is the first cold doc of the festival for me.
Posted in Hot Docs at 1:04 AM
POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
Morgan Spurlock and LA Reid (photo by Daniel Marracino, courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics)
The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (2011). Directed by Morgan Spurlock.
I absolutely loved this movie. It was funny, clever and it had the Hot Docs audience buzzing as they left the theatre. People were on their cellphones telling their friends that they have to see this film. To make this movie-going experience even more memorable, there were girls serving POM Wonderful beverages in the lobby of Isabel Bader Theatre after the screening.
Morgan Spurlock, the man behind Super Size Me is back with a film that seems to be a real crowd pleaser. In The Greatest Movie Ever Sold Spurlock takes a critical look at product placement, corporate branding and advertising in TV and film. Instead of making a boring academic film, Spurlock sets out to make blockbuster documentary that is fully funded by product placement, sponsorship and advertising.
How do products like POM Wonderful, Ban and Old Navy worm their way into a film? What does it cost Sheetz to be featured in this film? Spurlock takes us behind the scenes to pitch meetings and marketing presentations with various corporate brands to better understand how much of our entertainment is influenced by corporations. He covers a lot of ground by speaking to Hollywood directors (Quentin Tarantino, Peter Berg, J.J. Abrams) educators (Sut Jhally, Noam Chomsky), musicians, advertising executives and more.
At one point, Spurlock questions whether we need product placement and advertising. He flies to São Paulo, Brazil in search of some answers where the entire city has banned outdoor advertising yet commerce seems to thrive. He also visits Florida where the public schools would love to be able to advertise on school buses and school property to offset growing budget cutbacks. I advertising really a necessary evil?
Spurlock’s journey of making a “doc-buster†that is fully funded by product placement is very entertaining. I don’t know that the film really educates the viewer but it makes you realize how receptive we’ve become to brands in popular culture. Almost everywhere you look, you see advertising. At one point in the film Ralph Nader says that the only place you can avoid advertising is when you sleep.
Before I saw this film I had no idea that POM Wonderful is pomegranate juice. I’m sure it will be the best million dollars that POM Wonderful has ever spent on advertising their product.
It’s hard to imagine this film without its man from West Virginia – Morgan Spurlock. He has become his own brand in the same way that Michael Moore is now a brand. Spurlock shines in The Greatest Movie Ever Sold and without his sarcastic wit this film would be as exciting as prune juice.
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Official Film Website
Hot Docs
Posted in Hot Docs at 10:27 PM
Hot Docs 2011
It’s that time of year again when documentary film takes over Toronto. Hot Docs started tonight and runs until May 8, 2011. There are plenty of tickets and great films to see.
I’m not sure how or when I will find time to watch any films but if I had nothing to do I would want to watch these films:
The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest
Becoming Chaz
Being Elmo
Bobby Fischer
Buck
Fightville
The Hollywood Complex
In Heaven, Underground. The Jewish Cemetery In Berlin-Weissensee
The National Parks Project
Senna
The Interrupters
Knuckle
The Redemption of General Butt Naked
Superheroes
You’ve Been Trumped
Foreign Parts
I Am Jesus
I’ll be posting reviews of the films that I do get out to see. The film I’m looking forward to the most at this point is The National Parks Project.
Posted in Hot Docs at 9:02 PM
12th & Delaware (2010)
12th & Delaware (2010). Directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady.
In Fort Pierce, Florida, a battle for abortion-rights is taking place at the intersection of 12th Street and Delaware Avenue. On one side of the street is the pro-life Pregnancy Care Center and across the street is an abortion clinic called A Women’s World.
Every day at the crack of dawn, a pro-life supporter keeps a watchful eye on the abortion clinic. Later in the day, more recruits show up and patrol the sidewalk outside of the clinic. They display signs and graphic images of unborn babies to the passing traffic. When women visit the clinic, the pro-life supporters call out to them and urge them not to go in.
All across America there are similar abortion battles taking place. Pro-life centers often appear next door or across the street from abortion clinics. The hope is that women will enter a pro-life clinic by mistake where they will be persuaded to continue with their pregnancy. In some cases they are offered financial support but sadly, these promises are almost never kept.
Directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady do a masterful job of providing an engaging and fairly objective view of the two sides in 12th & Delaware. Both groups are given equal screen time but it is the pro-life group that has all of the “interesting” characters. The Hot Docs audience often groaned or gasped in disbelief at some of the things the film’s pro-life supporters were telling women in their clinic - that abortions can cause breast cancer or that condoms work only 80 per cent of the time.
I think it is fair to say that the pro-life supporters in the film aren’t representative of all people that share the pro-life stance. The film’s pro-life supporters tend to say or do almost anything to prevent an abortion. This sets up several scenes that are difficult to watch because they are so embarrassing! Oddly enough, this is one of the aspects of the film that I also found appealing. It reminded me a lot of Ewing and Grady’s previous film, Jesus Camp.
For me, the best moment in the film occurs when a woman pulls into the abortion clinic parking lot and confronts a pro-life supporter. She wants to know why the group must display graphic images of an unborn fetus to passing traffic, including her child’s school bus. This woman is obviously a Christian and tells the pro-life supporters that they are misguided and that there are better ways to get their message across.
Ewing and Grady had unprecedented cooperation and access to both groups, taking the viewer into each of their buildings for a detailed look at how they operate. The pregnancy center uses several tactics in persuading women to continue with their pregnancies - graphic videos, literature, ultrasounds and counseling. Across the street the abortion clinic operates in an environment of fear and heightened security. Cameras monitor the premises. Doctors are whisked into the clinic with sheets over their heads to protect their identities (during the filming of 12th & Delaware, abortion provider Dr. George Tiller was murdered in his church).
I was surprised to learn that there are over 4,000 pro-life pregnancy centers in the US and just over 850 abortion clinics. This well-crafted film doesn’t try to resolve any of the issues in the abortion battle but it provides a revealing look at both sides that is simply fascinating.
½
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Posted in Hot Docs at 3:45 PM
Joan Rivers: A Piece Of Work
Joan Rivers: A Piece Of Work (2010). Directed by Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg.
Joan Rivers is the type of subject you’d expect Nick Broomfield (Biggie and Tupac, Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam) to take on instead of Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg (The Devil Came on Horseback, The Trials of Darryl Hunt). How do you go from making films about genocide and death row to the queen of comedy?
Stern first met Rivers through her family. After spending some time with the Rivers and getting to know her better, Stern and Sundberg decided that Joan Rivers would be their next project. The idea of doing a film about a comedian appealed to them and would be a nice change from their previous work.
Try to Google “joan rivers” and Google will suggest “joan rivers plastic surgery”. Joan’s face is a piece of work, a lot of work. The film opens with several close up shots of her face without any makeup and it isn’t pretty. It sets the tone for the film which gives us a raw, honest look at an aging performer.
Rivers claims that the first thing she does in the morning is her makeup and jokes that even she can’t bear to look at herself until she is made up. At one point in the film she arrives at a meeting with her face swollen after receiving collagen injections. Rivers is consumed with her image and hates the thought of growing old and fading into obscurity.
I was struck by how much energy this 76-year-old comedian has. She keeps an incredibly busy schedule and worries constantly about her bookings and appointments. She jokes with her personal assistant about whether she should put some sunglasses on before she looks at her day timer, worried that pages will be blindingly white, blank. Rivers will do commercials, book signings, stand up comedy and promote just about anything so long as it pays and keeps her in the spotlight. She’s a self-confessed workaholic and the last thing she wants to do is sit by the pool and relax.
Stern and Sundberg spent 14 months with Joan Rivers, plenty of time to get to know the real Joan which I think comes across in the film. If you’re unfamiliar with her stand up comedy you might be surprised by some of the expletives coming out of her mouth. She is incredibly funny, quick and witty when it comes to her audiences. I was impressed with how she handled a heckler at a show in Wisconsin.
At the same time she comes across as a very caring and fair person. She delivers turkeys to families on Thanksgiving, supports many family and friends financially, and always makes time for her adoring fans. It’s easy to look at Joan Rivers as a freak but this film takes us behind the mask and provides us with a unique look at her human side.
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Posted in Hot Docs at 4:00 PM
And Everything Is Going Fine
And Everything Is Going Fine (2010). Directed by Steven Soderbergh.
The late Spalding Gray was a gifted storyteller who became famous for his theatrical monologues. In 1996, Steven Soderbergh directed Gray’s Anatomy which featured Spalding Gray in a hilarious 80-minute film monologue. And Everything Is Going Fine is an intimate portrait of Gray culled from over 90 hours of monologues and interviews.
It seems unusual to make a film about a person without the usual interviews from family and friends but who better to explain the life of Spalding Gray than Gray himself. For over 25 years he’s been analyzing his life on the stage with the honesty of a neurotic lunatic. Nothing in his monologue’s seemed too sacred or off limits.
In several clips he talks openly about his mother’s breakdowns and eventual suicide at age 52. Death was a common theme in his monologues. At one point in the film he mentions how Soderbergh considered him for a part in King Of The Hill. He accepted the role and thought it was perfect for him because the character commits suicide. He worried that his life would end the same way his mother’s did and mentions the anxiety he went through when he turned 52. To him it felt like a countdown to his final destiny.
Gray talks candidly about his relationships and sexual life in a way that is entertaining and at times, uncomfortable. At one point he recounts how his father tried to explain the birds and the bees to him on the golf course - awkward and very funny. Later on he recounts how he wanted his girlfriend Kathy to have an abortion when he found out she was pregnant with their son. He changed his mind and recalls the incredible moment he met his son Forrest for the first time (then 8 months old).
Mental illness plays a large part in Gray’s monologues as well. He talks about his hereditary depression, his therapy sessions and often jokes about being neurotic. Gray’s Anatomy presents him as a hypochondriac investigating alternative medicines for an eye condition. You get the sense that his monologues were an alternative form of therapy where he could fight his demons on the public stage.
After a serious car accident in 2001 he suffered severe injuries that seemed to intensify the depression he struggled with throughout his life. As a result of his injuries he attempted suicide in 2002. He became tired of talking about himself and began interviewing the audience members on stage. The film shows his physical decline and lack of intensity but doesn’t mention his apparent suicide in 2004.
In his final interview a dog can be heard howling away in the background as if it were coming from the tortured soul of Gray himself. Gray finds it haunting and it is the perfect way to end a brilliantly edited film. Forrest Gray provides the musical score over the ending credits of the film which I thought was also a nice touch.
½
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Posted in Hot Docs at 3:00 PM
Hot Docs 2010 Recommendations
Hot Docs 2010 begins tomorrow night and I’ve screened eight films so far. I’ll be posting full reviews over the next week. Until then here are some capsule reviews that may help you decide which films to see or avoid.
Babies
This is the opening night film which is cute, light-hearted and funny. There isn’t any voice-over narration or scripted dialog. Women and expectant moms will love it. Guys? Maybe not so much. Good.
Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage
I’m not really a fan of Rush but this doc was informative, entertaining and had me purchasing The Spirit of Radio - Greatest Hits (1974-1987) right after the press screening. If you’re a Rush fan then you owe it to yourself to see this film. Excellent!
Shadow Play: The Making Of Anton Corbijn
This is an interesting portrait of Anton Corbijn and does a nice job of explaining why he is so highly revered in the rock community. Very good.
Space Tourists
Who knew that space tourism could be this fascinating. Christian Frei’s film examines all facets of this new industry. I just wanted to know more about the film’s protagonist - American businesswoman Anousheh Ansari’s who pays $20 million for a trip to the international space station aboard a Russian rocket. Beautifully shot. Very good.
Cooking Up Dreams
At times this film plays out like a tourism video but if you like to cook or watch the Food Network then you’ll enjoy this look at Peruvian cuisine. Good.
Anne Perry - Interiors
The less you know about this film, the better it will be. Wow! This is a fascinating look at the storied career of author, Anne Perry. I love the way in which the film is shot. It felt original but the ending falls short. Very good.
National Parks Project: Gros Morne
I love landscape photography. I hated this film. I love beautiful HD cinematography à la Planet Earth but didn’t find it in Peter Mettler’s lens. I love hiking but I didn’t enjoy this film. I love clever editing but was embarrassed by the amateurish editing. The soundtrack in the screener that I watched was weak and felt slapped together. This film could have been great but I found it a chore to watch. Not recommended.
Life With Murder
This is a fascinating look at murder, family bonds and truth. The film does a great job of letting the audience into the mindset of parents dealing with a son convicted of killing their daughter. Incredibly, they stand by their son and support him. At times the film and the interview feel contrived but the ending is very disturbing and difficult to watch. Very good.
Posted in Hot Docs at 11:44 PM
Hot Docs 2010 Picks
Hot Docs 2010 kicks off in a few weeks and several popular films are already sold out. You still have time to get tickets to a lot of great films so check out their website and order away.
I’m still trying to decide on which films to review. Here are a few films that I don’t want to miss:
And Everything Is Going Fine
Director: Steven Soderbergh | USA | 90 min
I’m a self-confessed Steven Soderbergh fanboy and enjoyed Soderbergh’s earlier work about Splading Gray - Gray’s Anatomy. I’m looking forward to this film the most.
Teenage Paparazzo
Director: Adrian Grenier | USA | 101 min
Grenier is probably best known for his role in the television show Entourage, but this is his second documentary feature. Who knew?
Joan Rivers - A Piece Of Work
Director: Ricki Stern, Annie Sundberg | USA | 89 min
This one promises to be funny, honest and entertaining.
Babies
Director: Thomas Balmès | France | 79 min
This is the opening night film that has generated a lot of buzz.
Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage
Director(s): Scot McFadyen, Sam Dunn | Canada | 106 min
How can you pass up an opportunity to see a doc about a hometown band? I’m not a huge Rush fan but I’m looking forward to learning more about the band in this musical bio.
Shadow Play: The Making Of Anton Corbijn
Director: Josh Whiteman | Australia | 90 min
I’m always interested in docs about creative professionals and how they work. Photographer Anton Corbijn is known for shooting photos of U2, Joy Division, Nirvana and his first feature film, Control.
Some of the other films I hope to screen are 12th & Delaware, Neighbors, Space Tourists, The Devil Operation, How I Filmed The War, A Film Unfinished, Gasland, The People vs. George Lucas, Cooking Up Dreams, Anne Perry - Interiors, Blank City, National Parks Project: Gros Morne, What’s In A Name, When I Rise.
Posted in Hot Docs at 2:51 PM
Hot Docs 2010 Kicks Off
Sean Farnel, Director of Programming announcing some of the upcoming films.
North America’s largest documentary festival is just over a month away. Hot Docs 2010 will run from April 29 - May 9, 2010. The films were announced this morning and the 2010 lineup looks promising.
Some of the high profile films to be screened are Babies, Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage, And Everything Is Going Fine, Joan Rivers - A Piece Of Work, and Teenage Paparazzo just to name a few.
I’m looking forward to reviewing some films before the festival and will be working with James McNally and my brother Drew to post reviews on Toronto Screen Shots.
Visit the Hot Docs website to view purchase tickets and view the 2010 lineup of films.
Posted in Hot Docs at 10:30 PM
Inside Hana’s Suitcase
Inside Hana’s Suitcase (2009). Directed by Larry Weinstein.
Inside Hana’s Suitcase is beautifully crafted and easily, one of the best films at Hot Docs this year. It’s based upon the the internationally acclaimed book “Hana’s Suitcase” written by Karen Levine.
It’s a holocaust story but don’t let that fool you into thinking it will be another depressing doc. Through a series of dramatic re-enactments the film tells the real-life story of two Jewish children from Czechoslovakia, George and Hana Brady.
Things shift from the 1930s and 1940s world of Czechoslovakia to present-day Japan at the Tokyo Holocaust Museum. A suitcase with the name Hana Brady painted on it is delivered to the museum where Fumiko Ishioka and her students discover that it came from Auschwitz. They examine the contents of the suitcase and learn as much as they can about Hana’s life and the war. Their journey leads to the discovery that Hana’s brother George, is alive and living in Toronto. From there the story continues to get more and more interesting.
Throughout the film, children from around the world tell Hana’s story and the lessons they’ve learned from her experience. I thought this was pure genius because it provides the audience with a child’s perspective of the war in a way that is powerful and full of hope.
Larry Weinstein’s direction is brilliant and puts the film in the same league as last year’s academy award winning film, Man On Wire. The period music and special effects transport the viewer back to the war while animation of Hana’s drawings enrich the moviegoing experience.
Inside Hana’s Suitcase is a film about hope that children and adults can learn from and enjoy on many different levels. I highly recommend this film and hope it gets a theatrical release.
Update: Inside Hana’s Suitcase was named as one of the top ten audience favourites at Hot Docs this year.
½
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Posted in Hot Docs at 11:19 PM
The Cove and the Snot Monster
I just had one of the strangest movie viewing experiences ever.
I was at the Canadian premiere for The Cove which was fantastic. It’s a must see for anyone that loves documentary film and will get a theatrical release in August.
Before the lights went down it was quite noisy. The Bloor Theatre was sold out and the anticipation for this film was quite high. Despite the noise, I noticed that the guy behind me and two seats over kept burping loudly. I figured that this dimwit was trying to impress his friend as thirteen-year-old boys often do, even though this guy was twenty-something.
The film started along with the strange guttural soundtrack from the row behind. James from Toronto Screen Shots was sitting beside me. We both turned our heads the first time we heard a loud belch, followed by some weird clicking sounds and snorting. We both started to laugh in disbelief and went back to watching the movie.
A few minutes later this guy started up again. The snorting, wheezing, burping, clicking and farting sounds erupting out of this guy’s mouth were getting louder and nastier. I started giggling and James kept turning his head every time this guy belted out a few more bars.
Ten minutes into the film I wasn’t laughing and this guy became increasingly annoying. Imagine trying to watch one of the best films of the year with a mutant behind you that snorts mucous, sucks it through his teeth and swallows it loudly.
This horrible, distracting noise went on for 90 minutes and I’ll never forget it.
Posted in Hot Docs at 12:45 AM
Prom Night in Mississippi
Prom Night in Mississippi (2008). Directed by Paul Saltzman.
It’s hard to believe, but on April 19, 2008, Charleston High School in Mississippi had its first integrated senior prom. Mississippi integrated its public schools in 1970 but in Charleston, they were still holding separate proms for black students and white students.
Actor Morgan Freeman lives in Charleston. He always thought that it was ridiculous that this kind of segregation still existed in America. In 1997 he offered to pay for an integrated prom of black and white Charleston High School students. The school turned him down. Director Paul Saltzman approached Morgan Freeman in 2007 and asked him if he was willing to try again. Freeman agreed, the school accepted his offer and Saltzman captured the events leading up to this historic event.
The interesting thing is that all of the students wanted an integrated prom. White and black students shared the same classroom so it made sense that they should have a prom with their fellow students and friends.
The parents of some of the white students were against a “mixed” prom and insisted on continuing the tradition of having a “white prom”. It turns out that the private “white prom” was kind of “vanilla” and boring. Many of the white students ended up attending the integrated prom and enjoyed themselves more.
It’s difficult to understand why racism is still so strong in pockets of the American south to this day. The film examines the tradition of segregation in Charleston and finds that the students don’t really care about race, but their parents do. Many of the white students know their parents are racist but they want to keep them happy, so they just do what they’re told.
I find it amusing that it took a Canadian filmmaker from Oakville, Ontario and a academy award-winning actor to bring about positive change in the deep south. The story sounds incredible and it is but the film never finds the tension or drama that could have made Prom Night in Mississippi, an incredible film.
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Posted in Hot Docs at 9:39 PM
Act Of God
Act Of God (2009). Directed by Jennifer Baichwal.
Jennifer Baichwal describes Act Of God as a film about “the metaphysical effects of being struck by lightning.” When a person is struck by lightning, the film asks if this is a random act, an act of God, and if it contains special meaning.
Baichwal traveled around the globe to hear seven different stories that respond to these questions. In Las Vegas a former CIA assassin, Dannion Brinkley discusses his near death experience and how it transformed him into kinder, gentler person. He was clinically dead for 23 minutes after being struck by lightning and survived. For him the event had profound meaning, a second chance in life and an opportunity to atone for his sins. Now he heads the largest association of hospice volunteers in the US.
In Cuba we witness the rituals and offerings that some people make to Shango, the god of thunder and lightning. They believe that if you keep Shango happy he won’t send lightning bolts to their community.
One of the most vivid descriptions of being struck by lightning comes from James O’ Reilly. When he was a teenager in northern Ontario he and several friends were struck by lightning and thrown to the ground. One of the boys didn’t survive. O’ Reilly revisits the exact location of the event and even though it took place 28 years ago, he describes what happened with such terror and conviction that you feel as though you were actually there.
It’s interesting to see how some people downplay the act of being struck by lightning and dismiss it as pure chance. Others find profound meaning in the event and truly believe it is an act of God. Regardless of how the people in the film perceive the act of being struck by lightning, it’s undeniable that the event changes their lives by varying degrees.
I had high expectations going into this film. I thoroughly enjoyed Baichwal’s previous films Manufactured Landscapes and The True Meaning of Pictures. Surprisingly, Act of God wasn’t as electrifying as I thought it might be for an opening night film at Hot Docs. I guess you can’t hit a home run every time.
½
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Posted in Hot Docs at 7:03 PM
Ashes of American Flags
Ashes of American Flags. Directed by Christoph Green and Brendan Canty.
If you enjoy the music of Wilco then you’re going to love their new concert film, Ashes of American Flags. Brendan Canty captures their 2008 US tour in fabulous HD at Tipitina’s in New Orleans, The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and and several other venues.
The film is a simple mix of live performance and band member profiles in a series of loose interviews. The performances convey the incredible artistry and unique sound that each musician brings to the group. It’s one thing to hear Wilco on a CD, but watching them perform live, makes you appreciate their music on a whole new level. They truly are one of the best live bands in America.
Ashes of American Flags was released yesterday (April 28) on DVD but you’ll want to see this film on the big screen. If you’re in Toronto next week you can catch one of two screenings at Hot Docs.
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Ashes of American Flags - Official Site
Posted in Hot Docs at 8:09 PM
B-Side’s unofficial Hot Docs Scheduler
If you are looking for a way to optimize your schedules for the festival, you should check out B-Side’s unofficial Hot Docs Scheduler.
Not only can you browse screenings, but once you’ve established what films to see, Festival Genius will optimize your schedule and automatically fit everything into place. You can then print your schedule, export it to iCal, or view it on a mobile device.
I’ll definitely be using this to plan my screenings.
Posted in Hot Docs at 12:39 AM
Hot Docs 2009 Starts Tomorrow
Hot Docs starts on Thursday and runs until May 10, 2009. I’m going to try and review 25 films but something tells me that might be a bit ambitious.
My first review, Tyson has been posted. It’s definitely worth a viewing if you get a chance. All of my reviews will be cross-posted at Toronto Screen Shots where I also review films.
James at Toronto Screen Shots has a number of reviews already published that can help you when it comes to selecting films for this year’s festival:
Coming up are reviews of Act of God and Waterlife that I saw last week.
Posted in Hot Docs at 12:22 AM
Tyson
Tyson (2008). Directed by James Toback.
You don’t have to be a boxing fan to enjoy this new documentary about Mike Tyson. It covers his amazing career inside the ring with footage that reminds us of how exciting he was to watch. The rest of the film covers his controversial private life and bizarre antics.
Through a series of rambling monologues Tyson tells his story, sometimes with brutal honesty. He reveals that when he faced Trevor Berbick he was fighting gonorrhea, contracted from a prostitute or possibly “a filthy dirty girl” as he put it.
The film never tries to be objective and provides us with only one point of view, Mike Tyson’s. Director James Toback and Mike Tyson have been good friends for over 20 years and Tyson is one of the producers of the film. Instead of the truth we get a fascinating glimpse into the crazy, complicated world of Mike.
Toback often presents multiple head shots of Tyson with overlapping audio in a split-screen format that hints at madness. Tyson says that he used to talk to himself on a regular basis when he was in prison. There is also mention of his temporary blackouts when he bit Evander Holyfield’s ear. Madness? Insanity? How else can you explain Tyson’s erratic behaviour?
There are some amusing moments when Tyson describes Don King as “a slimy reptilian motherf***er” that would “kill his mother for a dollar”. I don’t think many people would disagree with Mike but when the conversation turns to his rape charge against Desiree Washington he gets pretty worked up and describes her as “a wretched swine of a woman.” He still claims that the rape charges were false.
Tyson says that he’s settled down and wants to focus on his kids, now that he’s been through prison and rehab. He tries to come across as a gentler, wiser, older Mike Tyson but I’m convinced that he could still explode at any given instant.
I wanted more information about Tyson’s depression, his cocaine habit and those mysterious blackouts during the famous Holyfield fight but the film seems to side-step those issues. I guess it’s better to leave the audience wanting more.
½
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Tyson - Official Site
Posted in Hot Docs at 6:31 PM
Hot Docs 2009 Press Conference
Chris McDonald, Executive Director of Hot Docs. (Photo: Jay Kerr)
Hot Docs held a press conference this morning to kick off the 16th edition of its documentary film festival. Sean Farnel, Director of Programming said that the selection of films this year is the best yet. They received 1,948 entries and will be showing 171 films in various programs. No wonder Farnel is excited.
Director, Jennifer Baichwal’s film Act of God will kick off this year’s festival. The film is described as “an elegant and absorbing meditation on the metaphysical effects of being struck by lightning”.
Baichwal’s last two films, Manufactured Landscapes and The True Meaning of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams’ Appalachia were fabulous. You won’t want to miss Act Of God if you’re planning to attend the festival this year.
Jennifer Baichwal, director of Act Of God. (Photo: Jay Kerr)
Some of the films that I plan to see (and review) are:
- Prom Night in Mississippi Morgan Freeman’s hometown finally has its first racially integrated senior prom, in 2008!
- Objectified. Gary Hustwit’s follow up to the popular Helvetica.
- Tyson. The life of Mike. Never boring.
- Carmen Meets Borat. What happens when Borat comes to town?
- The Cove. Won the Audience Award at Sundance.
A full list of films and schedules is available on the Hot Docs website.
I’ll be covering the festival again with James at Toronto Screen Shots and cross-posting my reviews here at Bombippy. I don’t think I’ll be getting a lot of sleep in April.
171 films, 36 world premieres, North America’s largest documentary festival. If you live in Toronto, you are truly spoiled. Don’t wait until it is too late. Order your tickets today and see some amazing films.
Posted in Hot Docs at 4:36 PM
The English Surgeon (2007)
Two people passed out during the screening of The English Surgeon (2007) on Wednesday night at the Bloor theatre. This was one of the goriest films at Hot Docs this year.
Henry Marsh is a leading neurosurgeon from London with a great sense of humour. He has a love for the Ukraine and often travels to Kiev to help his Ukrainian colleague, Igor. Henry tries to make a difference and save lives where he can even though his colleagues in London think he’s wasting his time.
Many patients in the Ukraine are misdiagnosed and die as a result. Quite often, Henry has to tell a child or a young woman that they will die and there is nothing he can do. He also brings hope to Kiev when he is able to perform risky neurosurgery and save a life.
A surgery like this is performed in the film with incredible visual and audio clarity. A young man with an inoperable brain tumor goes under Henry’s knife to have the tumour removed. The necessary anesthetic isn’t available so Henry performs the surgery while the patient is awake.
To say the least this scene is incredible graphic and difficult to watch. At one point Henry is making jokes about the Bosch cordless drill being used to remove a part of the patient’s skull. Minutes later their are some tense moments when the patient stops responding.
You’ll find this film to be funny, terrifying and heart-warming if you can get through it. One of my favourites from this years festival.
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Posted in Hot Docs at 12:57 AM
Carny (2008)
Director Alison Murray saw some incredible photographs of carnival workers that inspired her to make the film Carny. She follows the lives of several carnies and reveals a world of lonlieness, poverty and addictions.
Your typical carny is at the end of their rope and running away from something — an abusive relationship, a spouse, usually the law. Many of them are covered in tattoos, missing a lot of teeth and drink a little too much. So how could a film with so much potential be so boring?
The problem is that nothing really happens in Carny. A great subject doesn’t guarantee a great film. Murray introduces us to a cotton candy lesbian, a bitter clown, and a man that lives with two women. They’re all unique characters but their stories lack drama. In my opinion, the film never takes off.
We get a slice of the carny life but it’s dull and uneventful. Two of the people that I watched the film with left halfway through. I stayed until the end but Carny just didn’t do it for me. ½
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Posted in Hot Docs at 8:22 PM
The True Meaning of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams’ Appalachia (2002)
In 2002, Jennifer Baichwal directed a fabulous film about Shelby Lee Adams’ controversial photos of the poor people in the Appalachian Mountains — The True Meaning of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams’ Appalachia.
Adams was born in Kentucky and has spent 30 years documenting and photographing the poor families in the various hollers of Appalachia. He’s become very good friends with some of these families and has completely gained their trust.
Most of us would look at Adams’ photos and describe the people in them as hillbillies or “banjo people”, straight out of the film Deliverance. Is he trying to exploit them or is he merely documenting their way of life?
The subjects in Adams’ photos feel that his work is harmless and a true representation of their culture. As a viewer, you get the sense that Adams truly feels he is documenting the Appalachian way of life. Several art critics featured in the film, feel otherwise. Adams stages some of his photos and uses theatrical lighting to great effect. His work is incredibly beautiful, complex, and more fine art than documentary photography.
He’s exhibited his photos around the world, sold prints and published many books about the Appalachian people He’s become very successful and made a good living by being a photographer. Baichwal doesn’t make any judgments in the film. But at a Q&A after the film, she questioned how people at a Berlin gallery of Adams’ work would read his photographs while sipping champagne and eating smoked salmon. They’re probably going to see the stereotype instead of the friendly people that Adams has gotten to know over the years.
I haven’t mentioned the slaughter of a hog, the practice of snake handling, pipe smoking grannies, inbreeding and the high mortality rate up in the Appalachian hills. For that, you’ll have to watch the film and it’s a good one. ½
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Shelby Lee Adams website: shelby-lee-adams.blogspot.com
CBC News interview of Shelby Lee Adams
Mercury Films
Posted in Hot Docs at 10:36 PM
Behind the Glass (2008)
I wasn’t aware that Behind the Glass was screening with Daddy Tran: A Life in 3-D but I’m glad it did. Director Gabriel Rhodes created a fantastic little film about a dying breed — the film projectionist.
Gabriel Rhodes does an excellent job of introducing several projectionists from around the US with interesting and unique stories to tell. Their jobs are changing as more theatres introduce digital projection. This film captures the end of an era that will be of interest to any cinephile.
Behind the Glass was shot on 16mm film.
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Posted in Hot Docs at 1:44 AM
Daddy Tran: A Life in 3-D (2008)
At first glance, Daddy Tran: A Life in 3-D appears to be a film about an artist who has a passion for 3-D photography. Unfortunately this film is more about Hai “Daddy” Tran’s lifelong obsession with photography and its impact on his family.
Tran is an interesting subject for a film. He’s charismatic, passionate about photography and he runs a vintage camera store in an industry that is dominated by digital cameras. He loves to collect things and not just a few — thousands of cameras and lenses, jewelry, lights, lawn ornaments. Every door inside his house has multiple locks. It takes four keys just to get inside his house!
I found Hai Tran to be more a lovable eccentric than a true artist or photographer. I was hoping this film would be a little more along the lines of What Remains (2005) or Manufactured Landscapes (2006). Tran appears to be more of a holiday snapper than a photographer. I guess this is why the film focuses more on his obsessions and character rather than his photography.
Daddy Tran: A Life in 3-D is an average documentary film for me. The production value could have been stronger and I found that the same photos were being used repeatedly for different parts of the film.
I might have enjoyed the film a little more if:
- the projectionist didn’t stop the film 3 minutes in because it was being shown in the wrong aspect ratio
- the film didn’t stop 10 minutes later because it was missing the subtitles
- director Siu Ta brought the correct version of the film and checked it before the screening
Siu Ta wanted to cancel the screening and reschedule it for a later date! Thankfully an audience member persuaded her to just show the film. She used a microphone and translated parts of the film while it played.
Watching this film was probably the most unique experience I’ve had at Hot Docs. What made all of these glitches ironic was that it screened with Behind the Glass — a film about projectionists and their importance in the presentation of a film.
Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.
Posted in Hot Docs at 12:11 AM
2008 Hot Docs Picks
Hot Docs starts in a week and I plan to see 13 films this year. Below is a list of my picks with screening dates and times. If you’re attending any of these films then look for me in line and say hello.
- Daddy Tran: A Life in 3-D — Friday, April 18 / 9:30 PM
- The True Meaning of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams’ Appalachia — Saturday, April 19 / 11:00 AM
- Murphy’s Law — Monday, April 21 / 11:59 PM
- Carny — Monday, April 21 / 11:59 PM
- 52 Percent — Tuesday, April 22 / 1:30 PM
- 20 Seconds of Joy — Tuesday, April 22 / 1:30 PM
- Man on Wire — Tuesday, April 22 / 6:30 PM
- Wesley Willis’s Joy Rides — Tuesday, April 22 / 11:45 PM
- Dance With A Serial Killer — Wednesday, April 23 / 11:30 AM
- At the Death House Door — Wednesday, April 23 / 7:00 PM
- $4 Haircut — Thursday, April 24 / 7:00 PM
- S&M: Short and Male — Thursday, April 24 / 7:00 PM
- Killer Poet — Thursday, April 24 / 9:45 PM
- The Black List — Friday, April 25 / 12:00 PM
- Standard Operating Procedure — Saturday, April 26 / 9:15 PM
- Planet B-Boy — Saturday, April 26 / 11:59 PM
It may seem like a lot of films but some of these docs aren’t feature length and will be screening with other films. Last year I picked 10 films and only made it out to a couple because of my crazy work schedule. This year isn’t any different but I’m determined to find the time this year.
Posted in Hot Docs at 9:27 PM
Hot Docs 2008
The 15th Canadian International Film Festival, Hot Docs, runs from April 17-27 this year. I’m hoping that I can attend a few more films than I did last year but my busy work schedule will probably limit the number of films I’ll be seeing.
Here is a list of 10 documentary films that I would like to see at Hot Docs this year:
Planet B-Boy — the globalization of hip-hop culture
Standard Operating Procedure — Errol Morris’ look at Abu Ghraib prison
At the Death House Door — the death penalty
Killer Poet — J.J. Jameson the churchgoer, poet and killer
The Black List — derogatory connotations of the term “black list”
Dance With A Serial Killer — France’s most notorious serial killer
Carny
Daddy Tran: A Life in 3-D — 3-D photography
Wesley Willis’s Joy Rides — artist/musician bio
The True Meaning of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams’ Appalachia — photography
I don’t know which screenings I’ll be attending but let me know if you’ve picked any of these films. Maybe I’ll see you in the audience.
Posted in Hot Docs at 12:03 PM
